Has That Myth About Marijuana Lowering Sperm Count Just Been Busted?

Cannabinoid receptors play a vital function in regulating healthy functions in our bodies. Just how vital those receptors are, whether controlling the natural life cycle of cells, stimulating new cell growth, or protecting cells from harm, is becoming more and more apparent with each new study. Now scientists have shown that cannabinoids can have an effect on reproductivity as well, so does this mean for that marijuana lowers sperm count myth?

Cannabis and male fertility

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, or FASEB, published a new report in the April 2016 issue of the FASEB Journal, which goes into detail on how the CB2 receptor helps regulate the creation of sperm. Not only does it show evidence of the disruption of fertility in males, it also suggests a therapeutic strategy for treating male infertility.

Sperm count

In the study, Paola Grimaldi Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, School of Medicine at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy and her fellow researchers treated three different groups of mice.

Over the course of 14-21 days, each group was administered a different compound. The first group received a specific activator for the CB2 receptor. The second group was treated with a specific inhibitor of the receptor. The third group acted as a control group and was given only a saline solution.

Results

In the first group, those mice treated with an activator showed an acceleration of spermatogenesis. That means that they increased their sperm count. The second group, which was given an inhibitor for the CB2 receptor, showed a much slower rate of creating sperm.

“The possibility to improve male fertility is one of the main focuses of this study, since infertility is a worldwide problem that affect up to 15% of couples in which male factors account for almost 20-70%” – Grimaldi

What this means for us

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“That the normal beneficial effects of endogenous cannabinoids on spermatogenesis can be stimulated further by a chemical mimic, an agonist, is a potentially promising new idea for treating male infertility” – Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.

In layman’s terms, if you and the missus are having trouble conceiving, try using cannabis. CBD, which activates the CB2 receptor, can increase sperm production. Cannabis also has an effect on libido and general pleasure during sex, so you will probably have more fun making babies than ever before. There are even cannabis infused lubricants that women have come to swear by for longer, more powerful orgasms.

Is there a downside?

Better sex is great, but being more fertile isn’t always a good thing. If you don’t want to become a parent, but are using cannabis, it might be a good time to discuss contraceptives. That old myth that smoking weed lowers sperm count could well be busted.

Many of the studies that have propagated the myth that weed lowers sperm count did not factor for other general health factors, such as temperature of testes, exercise, diet, or other substance use, especially tobacco. With cannabis being the most widely used illicit substance on the planet, if it did cause infertility, the effects would be more widespread.

Have you been a long time cannabis user and been “exceptionally potent”? Have you used cannabis medically for another condition and been surprised with a pregnancy in your significant other? Let us know on social media or in the comments below.